Collapsible case



Aug. 6, 1929.

W. J. MIELZINER COLLAPSIBLE CASE Filed Sept. 14, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Woman Aug. 6, 1929. w. J. MIELZINER COLLAPS IBLE CASE Filed Sept. 14, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 3% 5 BY; A7. M W W ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,723,293 PATENT OFFICE.

'WILLIAM J. MIELZINER,OF FRANKLIN SQUARE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N; Y.,' A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COLLAPSIBLE CASE.

Application filed September 14., 1925. Serial No. 563287.

My invention relates to packing cases, and more particularly to collapsible crates oi the type frequently used in shipping smal articles, such as tin cans.

These crates are ordinarily made of slats, in order that the minimum amount of material consistent with strength of the crate may thereof to be removed and arranged with the sides in a compact unit for shipment. In order to open the crate, one of the end members is pressed down and the fastening: devices,

which ordinarily are hooks rotatablyattached to the side members and engaging in openings in the end member, are swung out of the way, the end member then being lifted oil. to permit packing, or emptying of the crate. Or-

dinarily, four hooks have been employed, two at each side of the end member, and it has been necessary to spring the end member downward and move each hook out of the way, since no provision wasmade for hinging said end member. Through carelessness of employees in shipping and receiving rooms, effort has often been. made to raise the end member with-- out releasing all of the holding hooks, and

this has resulted in bending, or mutilating the hooks which are not disengaged. In this mannor, a great many crates have been damaged and in many instances rendered u'nserviceable,

, and it is the purpose of my invention to provide a collapsible crate which will. not be subject to the difficulties mentioned. In accordance with the-invention, the construction of the crate and the form of the holding hooksv may remain the same as formerly, except that provision is made to permit hingingr of the end. member at one side, in the event th the holding hooks on. one side only are released. thereby preventing distortion of the hooks. or parts of the crate cooperablo therewith under the circumstances above described. To this end, elongated slots are provided in the end member for the reception oi the ends of: the hooks and the corners of said and member are notched in such manner that when said member is raised at one side, it will hinge upon the hooks at the opposite side and the corners will clear the side members, in manner which. will hereinafter more clearly appear.

Numerous other objects and advantages of t 1e invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is perspective view of a collapsible crate in which my invention is'embodied, the same being set up and the parts arranged as ior'shipment;

Fi 2 is a tragmental detail view, showing one of the holding hooks and associated parts of the end and side members; and

Fins. 3 and 4; are enlarged views, showing the holding hooks and associated structure of the side and end members, Fig. 3 showing the closed position and Fig. 4 illustrating the hing'ing action, provision for which is made by my invention.

On said drawings, illustrating the best manner in which. I have thus far contemplated applying: the principles of my invention,

the reference characters 11. 12, 13 and 14 in dicate the four side members, which are of the well-known slat construction, adjacent members being hinged together, as indicated at 15. End members 16 and 17 are provided at the top and bottom and, like the side members, are formed of a series of slats secured together by other slats extending at right angles thereto. The bottom member 17 may be secured to the side members in any desired manner not shown), either in the same mannor as the top member, as will. be hereinafter described, or by any form of releasable or hinge connection. member 16 is adapted to be placed upon the sidemembers and held down by means of hooks 18, of which four are shown in the present instance, two at each side of the crate. Said. hooks are mounted for rotation about a.

vertical. axis upon upper cross slats 19 of the side members, being held in place by means of metal strips 21, which are secured to the inner face of the slats 19 and formed with a central. channel 9.2 adapted to receive an elongated body portion 23 of said hooks.

Cross slats 24 at the front and back edge oi. the top member 16 are slotted, as indicated at 25, and have U-shaped plates 26 secured The top, or. upper end in assembled relationship.

28 of the hooks 18. The lower ends of said hooks are turned laterally and outward, as indicated at 29, and engage beneath the slats 19. The form of the end member 16 is such that it normally exerts an outward spring tension against the hooks 18, thereby holding the latter in the slots 25 and when the crate is filled, the contents assist in holding said parts When it is desired to remove the end member, the latter may be pressed downwardly and the hooks, when free, swung rearwardly, after which said end member may be removed. Prior to my invention, the slots 25 have been only slightly larger than the downturned ends of the holding hooks 18 and unless all of said hooks were moved out of the way, the end member could not be moved without damage thereto, or to the hooks. In accordance with my invention, said slots are elongated (see Fig. 2), so that if the hooks at one side only are released and the cover raised, the latter will have a hinging action upon the hooks at the opposite side, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The corners of said end member 16 are notched, as indicated at 31, so that they may clear the side members in the hinging action,

and it will be evident that no damage can be caused, with this construction, to the hooks or other parts from the cause earlier referred to herein. a

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: 7

1. A collapsible case, comprising side members hinged together and foldable to form a compact unit for shipment when the case is empty, end members, and hooks for removably fastening opposite sides of an end memher to the side members, said end member having vertically extending slots in which said llOOlS engage and said slots being of suflicient horizontallength to permit hinging action of said end member relative to and on the hooks when one side only thereof is released.

2. A collapsible case, comprising side mem bers hinged together and foldable to form a compact unit for shipment when the case is empty, end members, and hooks for removably fastening opposite sides of an end member to the side members, said end member having slots in which said hooks engage and said slots being of sufficient length to permit hinging action of said end member relative to and on the hooks when one side only thereof is released, said end member being notched at the corners thereof to provide clearance for said hinging action.

3. A packing case, comprising a body, a removable wall member, and fastening devices comprising hooks for releasably attaching said wall member to said body at two opposite sides of the latter, said wall member having slots in which said hooks engage and said slots being lengthened transversely to the hooking parts to permit hinging action of said member relative to and on the hooks on either side of said case.

4. In a crate, the combination of a collapsible body consisting of two ends and two sides hinged one to the other, and a top member inserted between the side members and resting on the end members and having formed therein holes, and hooks mounted on vertical axes on said side members and swingable over the top member and having their vertical ends insert-able into said holes.

5. In a crate, the combination of a collapsible body consisting of two ends and two sides hinged one to the other, and a top member inserted between the side members and resting on the end members and having formed therein holes, and hooks mounted on vertical axes on said side members and swingable over the top member and having their vertical ends insertable into said holes. said top member being notched at its corners so that its hinged edge may swing downward on said books when the other edge of the top is raised.

6. In a crate, the combination of a collapsible body consisting of two ends and two sides hinged one to the other, and atop member inserted between the side members, and having formed therein holes, and hooks mounted on vertical axes on said side members and swingable over the top member and having their vertical ends insertable into said holes, said top member holes being sufficiently extended to permit hinging of the top member relative to one side member while the hooks of said side member are still within their re-' spective holes. 7

WILLIAM J. MIELZINER. 

